Myanmar's ambassador to the United Nations, Kyaw Moe Tun, has been fired, Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) reported on Saturday.
"[Kyaw Moe Tun] had betrayed the country and spoken for an unofficial organisation which doesn't represent the country and had abused the power and responsibilities of an ambassador", the broadcaster said.
The dismissal comes just hours after the envoy gave an impassioned address to the UN about the necessity to "immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people, and to restore the democracy", ending his speech with a three-fingered salute, a gesture used by protesters against the military.
On 1 February, the Burmese military staged a coup d'etat, ousting State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other senior government officials over alleged fraud in the 8 November general election, which was won by the state counsellor’s National League for Democracy party. They declared a one-year state of emergency and vowed to hold a new vote thereafter, while placing the deposed leaders under house arrest.
The coup unleashed mass protests across the country, some of which the military reportedly suppressed, resorting to violent means.
The ouster of the elected officials by the military also drew widespread condemnation from the international community, including sanctions against the military and those involved in the coup.
